Back to Blog

Good News Community Centre: A Hub of Connection and Care

Since opening its doors in July 2014, the Good News Community Centre has become a vibrant hub for the Hamilton community. More than just a building, it’s a place where people gather, connect, and grow together. With its welcoming atmosphere and versatile facilities, the centre has quickly established itself as a cornerstone of local life.The centre offers fantastic facilities that cater to both regular groups and one-off events. Whether you’re planning a community gathering, a family celebra...

Empowering through Community and Connection: The Work of ROC Trust

Settling into a new country is never easy. For refugees arriving in Aotearoa New Zealand, the challenges can feel overwhelming – from navigating daily life to finding a sense of belonging. That’s where the Refugee Orientation Centre (ROC Trust) steps in. Based in Hamilton, ROC Trust is dedicated to helping newcomers build confidence, skills, and community connections that allow them to thrive....

Aroha in Action

Before life unravelled beneath him, Tēwa admits he used to judge people doing it tough. He thought he understood their situation from the outside. Now, he says, he takes it all back.Everything changed the day he lost his wife to COVID‑19. Grief hit hard, and the home they once shared slipped away soon after. Within weeks, Tēwa found himself sleeping in his car, navigating a world he never imagined he’d be part of.“I hadn’t had a shower in four days,” he recalls. “As soon as I saw t...

"I bounce back... and carry on."

Across Aotearoa, classrooms are buzzing with energy, confidence, and kindness thanks to Kiwi Can – a life skills and values programme delivered weekly to every child in participating schools. Led by trained Kiwi Can leaders, the programme equips tamariki with the tools they need to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.Principals consistently report remarkable changes: truancy and bullying are decreasing, while positive interactions and teamwork are on the rise. With Kiwi Can now empowe...

School Start First Impressions Reaches National News

A recent feature for School Start First Impressions (SSFI) on Seven Sharp shows how our funding has been used to positively impact the community. SSFI is an amazing charity that creates school bag packages and provides uniforms for children in need. These school starter packs include a school bag, lunchbox, drink bottle, stationary and uniform. The way they work is through referral agencies which can be GP or social workers who can apply for a package and pass it on to the child. This allows for...

Māra Kai/Food Garden at St Peter Chanel, Whakatāne, Āotearoa New Zealand

“Miharo! Tenei te mihi kia tatou katoa. Joy! This is my humble message to everyone.”   (Bonnie Savage, Social Issues Secretary, National Board, Catholic Women’s League Āotearoa New Zealand)This blog has been adapted from an article supplied by Bonnie Savage.Over the past five years, there has been a slow and steady movement towards introducing edible landscaping at St Peter Chanel premises in Whakatāne, Āotearoa New Zealand. Already within a relatively short time bananas have been ...

Seeds of Hope: 2025/26 Grant Recipients

The Common Good Foundation is honored to announce our 2025/26 Grant Recipients. Each of these organisations has applied for support to meet a specific need or project, and we look forward to sharing their progress as the year unfolds. To learn more about each group, simply click on the name of the recipient to be directed to their website. In the spirit of Pope Leo XIV’s exhortation Dilexit Te [To all Christians, on love for the poor]: “Hope is the light that never fades, even when the ...

Love them Both

Caroline: Thanks for sitting down with me, Janice. I’m really keen to hear more about Pregnancy Choice. To start us off, what drives your work? Janice: Honestly, it all comes down to truth and love. We walk alongside people facing an unexpected pregnancy, making sure they have accurate information about their baby’s development and offering practical support — things like clothing or care packages for mum and baby. We don’t provide abortion referrals, but we do talk openly about the rea...

Waikato Family Centre: Nurturing Futures Through Compassionate Care

Thanks to your generous support, the Waikato Family Centre has continued to be a lifeline for families/whānau across the region—providing vital child and maternal health services to communities from Thames to Tokoroa and beyond. Your contribution directly funded core operating costs, allowing our team to focus on what matters most: empowering parents and supporting babies and children under two.In 2024 alone, our Registered Nurses cared for 831 new families, with over 5,000 presentations. Whe...

Visitation Ministry: Bringing Light and Connection to Rest Home Residents

Thanks to the support of the Common Good Foundation, the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Hamilton has launched a heartfelt visitation initiative, connecting Catholic volunteers with residents in local rest homes. With guidance from Fr Darren McFarlane, the programme has grown steadily, now involving nine dedicated volunteers—each police vetted and trained in safeguarding to ensure respectful and safe engagement.Since February 2025, volunteers have been visiting Catholic residents acros...

Serving Hope: Supporting Thousands Through Compassion and Kai

Over the past year, our food support service has made a profound impact—reaching more than 23,000 people in our community thanks to the generous grant funding we received. Whether facing immediate food insecurity or navigating long-term financial hardship, individuals and whānau have found relief, dignity, and connection through our work.A key part of this success has been our “Super Support” programme, which specifically assists those aged 65 and over. In the past year alone, we’ve sup...

Hope Rising Farm: Growing Confidence, Connection, and Community

This past year, Hope Rising Farm has flourished—thanks to the generous support of the Common Good grant, which covered core operational costs and allowed us to focus on what truly matters: walking alongside tamariki, rangatahi, and wahine facing significant challenges.Our farm-based programmes offer more than just fresh air and pony rides. They provide a safe, nurturing space where participants build resilience, gain practical skills, and experience a sense of belonging. Many arrive feeling ov...

Golden Agers Programme: Empowering Older Adults Through Connection and Care

From November 2024 to August 2025, our older persons programme has continued to thrive—thanks to vital funding that covered operating expenses, programme delivery, and staff wages. At the heart of this initiative is our Golden Agers programme, which supports over 30 participants, with around 20 attending each twice-monthly session.These gatherings are more than just social events—they’re a lifeline. Sessions have included engaging guest speakers from Age Concern, Dementia Waikato, MSD, and...

Kids in Need Waikato: A Year of Growth, Compassion, and Community Impact

Over the past year, Kids in Need Waikato has remained steadfast in its mission to support children raised by caregivers other than their biological parents. From April 2023 to March 2024, the Trust distributed 1,619 seasonal care packs, reaching 1,087 children and 455 caregivers—each pack tailored to the child’s age and needs. The December Christmas campaign brought joy to 1,142 children and caregivers, thanks to overwhelming community support and collaboration with Rotary Clubs.As child pov...

First Steps to School: Breaking Barriers for Huntly Children

Thanks to generous funding from the Common Good Foundation, our organisation proudly expanded into the Huntly region this past year, delivering vital school supplies to tamariki from vulnerable communities. This initiative has had a transformative impact—removing financial barriers and enabling over 100 children to enrol in school for the very first time.For many of these tamariki, the cost of starting school had previously been an insurmountable hurdle. With our support, they were able to beg...

A Lifeline in the Chaos: Our Journey with Waikato Family Centre

When my daughter began waking every 45 minutes, I was running on fumes—mentally, emotionally, and physically. I felt like I was drowning in exhaustion, and the isolation of those sleepless nights was overwhelming. That’s when I found the Waikato Family Centre.From the moment I reached out, their team wrapped me in support. They referred me to Mothercraft for evening help, and provided expert advice on everything from sleep routines to managing my daughter’s chronic constipation—informati...

Meet John: a friend of Orange Sky

John currently lives in his car – but it's not the first time he's been in this situation.It’s been like this on and off for John over the past decade, as finding a place to call home becomes increasingly harder. John works whenever he can, and does a lot of volunteering in the community. We’re all feeling the rising cost of living in our own way, but for friends experiencing homelessness or hardship – it’s getting worse."I've been living in my car for 10 years now. It's hard. Really h...

Our Annual Appeal - Caring Sunday 2025

In a world that often feels uncertain and divided, your generosity continues to shine as a beacon of hope—illuminating the lives of the most vulnerable among us.As Pope Leo XVI so wisely reminded us: “Helping the poor is a matter of justice before a question of charity.” This is a sentiment we see lived out through the actions of our generous donors and supporters. Thanks to all of our supporters throughout the last year, the Common Good Foundation was able to put love into motion—b...

We need you! Calling all volunteers for Caring Sunday.

Our annual appeal is just around the corner, and we’re inviting you to help raise vital funds for our grants programme. Caring Sunday will take place over the last weekend of July—Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th.We're currently seeking volunteers to represent the Common Good Foundation at Masses throughout the Diocese. As an ambassador, you'll help process donations and connect with parishioners after Mass. All volunteers will receive training and a free t-shirt to wear while supporting this i...

The power of role modeling for tamariki [children]

Thanks to Common Good’s generous support, the Graeme Dingle Foundation Waikato has delivered the Kiwi Can programme to 10 primary schools, reaching 1,815 tamariki every week. This funding has fostered positive behaviour, values, and life skills in communities facing socio-economic challenges.Kiwi Can is more than just a programme—it’s a consistent presence that builds confidence, wellbeing, and school culture. At Huntly West School, tamariki adore their Kiwi Can leader, Matua Marlon, whose...

New elected Pope Leo XIV's call for peace

Recently, a historic moment unfolded as Pope Leo XIV delivered his first address in St Peter's Square. This speech marked more than just the beginning of a new papacy—it signalled hope and unity within a divided world. As the Common Good Foundation, it's crucial to reflect on such events that resonate with our mission of compassion and service. Pope Leo's address emphasises peace, a core tenet that aligns with our charity's journey since 1982. Pope Leo XIV's vision for the future involves not ...

Introducing Papatūānuku Support Services and Te Hāpai Mokopuna programme

The Common Good Foundation were very grateful for the introduction to Papatūānuku Support Services (PSS) which came through their application for funding in 2024. Papatūānuku Support Services applied for funding for Te Hāpai Mokopuna (THM), a programme aimed at providing tailored support to tamariki aged 7-12....

Featuring the Good: Video update from Youth Encounter Ministries

The Common Good Foundation is excited to share an inspiring video update from Youth Encounter Ministries. As a 2024 grant recipient, Youth Encounter Ministries continues to transform lives. This video showcases their incredible work and the impact they have on youth, fostering growth and resilience....

AGM 2025 27th May - REGISTER HERE.

The annual Common Good Foundation AGM will be held at the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Tuesday 27th of May 2025.The AGM will begin with the 12:05pm weekday Mass and the meeting will follow in the foyer of the Cathedral.To register click here.Any question or queries please contact Caroline at admin@commongood.org.nz...

Big Buddy Does Good - Rotoroa Project

Here at the Common Good Foundation we love to hear of the GOOD that is happening in the community. Big Buddy are one of the community groups who received a grant in 2024.Big Buddy works on the simple philosophy that a boy will benefit greatly from having a positive male role model in their life.A Big Buddy relationship doesn’t just provide a man to do ‘blokey things’ with, it offers friendship, support and a good male role model to look up to. These men aren’t superheroes; they are just ...